Between friendship and destiny
by Jeansplaining
Summary: Alternative ending for Naruto. An old Naruto has to face the consequences of his mistakes in the past.
1. Prologue

The villagers looked with suspicion when a woman passed by their town. The skies in that day were gray and a mist was getting denser by the passing of time; bad omen for the civilians. The woman found a tree and rested there. At the other side of the road, two silhouettes formed.

\- "Cut the crap, I know you had been following me! Mizukage-sama…"

\- "I knew we wouldn't be able to trick you for too long. But you're where I need it anyway."

The bodyguard of the Mizukage wielded the Samehada and threatened the woman:

\- "Your treason against our village will not be unpunished. "

The Mizukage made a sign to the guy stop.

\- "Let it go… There is no way back from this path."

The woman reacted violently.

\- "How could I let him go! Do you have any idea how many people died because of him?"

\- "Do not pretend I'm blind, all my friends from the past died hunting him. Our balance is what keeps many innocent people alive."

\- " Coward! - Interrupted the woman."

\- "Maybe I'm. In the end we are all just hypocrites who hide their true feelings under this mask of peace or justice. But I can't let you proceed- The Mizukage disappeared under the mist- Either way, goodbye."

The bodyguard stared the woman, wielding the Samehada (I mean the Kisami sword) he assumed his fighting stance. The woman used a scroll to summon a sword once wield by Zabuza. The sword clash was instantaneous; in a split of second, both crossed their position.

\- "I teach you well."

\- "Well, I learned from the best. Sensei."

The way the woman said that, reminded the Mizukage's bodyguard the old times. When she was younger, she was dedicated and determined, both qualities and their sorrows made them share a bond together. "Beneath these vengeful eyes there is still that girl. Maybe I can bring her back to her senses."

\- "What's the matter? You will need your eyes to beat me!"

\- "I already know all your moves… This battle is over."

The ex-sensei devised a plan. "I will sacrifice my left arm to stop the swing, with my right arm, I will use the Samehada to steal her chakra".

However, she didn't reacted. The slash cut her in half. Water splashed as the Samehada hit the ground.

\- "Water clone!?"

The bodyguard felt something attaching to his body. "Strings?" He tried to release himself, but as much effort he put, more he felt stuck.

\- "When did you set this trap?"

\- "Since the beginning, I used the mist jutsu over yours, so I could set this trap for you. Don't bother trying to get free, this string is part of Nuibari (one of the seven swords), you can't cut this."

The woman approached his old sensei.

"Your eyes… It's cursed, I'm paying with my life for believing you would get away from this path… You're a killer, just like him… I should have noticed earlier…"

The Kubikiribōchō slashed the sensei. There is no way back.

The woman looked to her former teacher with a bitter expression. "Your death will not be in vain". His eyes were still wide open, haunting here for the betrayal, in that moment she noticed she still had her forehead protector from the village; she use it to cover the eyes of her former sensei.

She took the Samehada that was hanging in one the strings and put it over her shoulders- Now she had all the seven swords- And disappeared into the mist.


	2. Act I

A group of students of the ninja academy made a semi-circle around the Elder. His big blue eyes expressed a mix of nostalgia and sadness; he once was there with other kids hearing about the old times of Konoha. The old man draw the attention to the statues at the side of mountain; from left to right had, in order, the Hokage's who lead the village. The last two were depredated with painting, as both had little love from the public in the last years (or decades).

"Do you know who the first man in the statue is?"

"It's Hashirama-sama!"all the kids replied in chorus."

"Correct. Many years ago he founded this village to end all the wars between clans. Family against family fought each other when this man step in and put an end to this useless bloodshed. His dream was not only for Konoha; but also for the world to understand each other. However, one man didn't like this one bit. Kakuzo of the five heads, used to profit from wars, so one day he attacked innocent people to attract the Hokage for a duel. Both fought for three days until Hashirama finally collapsed. But it wasn't in vain; many farmers could retreat to a safe place until reinforcements arrived from the village" (author note: I don't know how Hashirama really died, take this as my headcanon for this fic)

"Tobirama followed the dream and virtues of his brother. One day him and his companions, were deep in enemy territory. In order to save his friends, he used himself as bait to distract the enemy."

"The third Hokage fought the legendary sennin: Orochimaru. This powerfull ninja revived Hashirama and Tobirama to fight against their will to destroy Konoha. Having the safety of the village in mind, Hiruzen sacrificed himself to stop Orochimaru from winning."

"The fourth saved the village from the nine tails, like Hiruzen would repeat years later, he give his life in other to protect what was dear for him."

"The fifth, Tsunade. Fought and died trying to defeat Pain; that day the village almost died, but the courage of his inhabitants led to the survival of Konoha."

The elder gaze with his blue eyes the children and asked what they had in common.

"They died for the village" answered the children.

"Correct. However they had something more; all of them had the will of fire! The determination of protecting it's loves ones, even when facing death, it's what keeps our family…. Our village united. They passed the fire of life and determination to the next generation!"

For those children, Hokage didn't meant so much as what meant for the elder when he was a kid. The current Hokage was very old even before those kids were born. This title was something distant for them; something related for old people.

The Elder made a joyful smiled and continued:

"Do you know who is the sixth? Hint, is the best Hokage ever!"

"It's Naruto?"

The elder made an insincere smile.

"But sir- one girl asked- Didn't Naruto failed to defeat the King of Snakes?"

The conversation ended as the Hokage Konohamaru arrived to rescue the embarrassed sensei and the offended old man, who just happens to be Naruto.

…

Konohamaru stick his cane between his arm and his rib to catch a Cigar.

"Long time no see my friend. It's how many time now, twelve years since you left the village?"

"Yeah… It's comforting to see that these kids don't know who I'm- He nodded to the depredated statue of him and Konohamaru at the mountain- But it seems that the adults still didn't forget about me an is giving you a hard time."

Konohamaru puffed his cigar- the smoke floated to the skies.

"I stopped ordering a cleaning for some time. It is useless to censor the bitter opinion of the people. Either way, you used to do the same thing when you were younger, remember?"

"I used to do that because I wanted my legacy to be bigger than them. How things changes, now we are the boring old man without touch with the newer generation."

Konohamaru was bitter and vented his indignation in a rant:

"This generation is helpless; I would gladly exchange 1 Rock Lee for 100 of them. They keep complaining because of our inaction in the Water country. This is the problem with this people, they had never seen the village being destroyed, and they had never seen war; so they believe it's just to force an entry of these childish ninjas with these

"technological gadgets" to the Mist village and get him."

"About Rock Lee, how is he?"

Konohamaru deviated his look from Naruto his look:

"He isn't well. Age has taken a toll on him; his family has sent him to an asylum"

"I guess I should make a visit."

Meanwhile Naruto picked a note inside his kimono:

"I received this letter, I think the time is comming."

Konohamaru imposed a confident posture and dismissed it:

"Don't take this seriously, it's the mist village wanting to put us under fire. Some days ago, the Mizukage sent to every kage, a desperate letter claiming that some kunoichi deserted the village, and they had nothing to do with her future actions. Later, accordingly to the investigations of our ANBU in the Mist, the local government spread a hoax claiming that she joined our village."

"I guess so…"

Konohamaru continued:

"The mist has been running from him for decades; everyone is. Luckily the Mizukage is very wise, if it wasn't for this, everybody would be at an all-out war way early; it gives me shivers to thing how many people would have to die because of this mad man."

Naruto just replied:

"I know he is coming"

Konohamaru was sad for his friend, 40 years ago he missed his chance. The Hokage could guess what prevented him for finishing the job, but he never had the heart to ask.

"You don't have to do this"

"It's a promise."

The cigar was still in the half when Konohamaru disposed it with a finger flick. Both shared the same dream as kid; both worked together to rebuild Konoha from the ground; both had seen their legacy being destroyed by the merciless passing of time.

"Anyway, since I left the village 12 years ago, I had been writing my memoirs- Naruto gave the manuscripts to Konohamaru- I guess it's up to you to finish it."

…

After the meeting with the Hokage, Naruto re-visited some of his old friends. He tried to visited the Ishiraku Ramem, however the owner had sold the place, a cafeteria took his place. His last visit was at the heroes memorial where he learned the value of friendship with his sensei; there he "talked" with Kakashi and Hiruzen, as if they could guide him in his last battle.

He made a last look where Kakashi had tied him. "In the world, those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum."

Kakashi was wrong, Naruto thought. For the first time in years, he cried.


End file.
